


Coming Clean

by impudent_strumpet



Category: Shoujo Kakumei Utena | Revolutionary Girl Utena
Genre: Canon Bisexual Character, Canon Gay Character, Canon Gay Relationship, Canon Lesbian Character, Canon Lesbian Relationship, Catharsis, Childhood Friends, Confessions, Crash Landing, Emotional Baggage, Emotional Hurt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Female Friendship, Female Relationships, Friendship/Love, Girls Kissing, High School, Hurt/Comfort, I thought of this in the shower, Lols, Love, Love Confessions, One Shot, Past Relationship(s), Post-Canon, Post-Series, Romance, Romantic Friendship, Some Humor, Surprises, Talking, Tears, Teen Romance, haha - Freeform, yet again
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-19
Updated: 2017-09-19
Packaged: 2018-12-31 15:58:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12135942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/impudent_strumpet/pseuds/impudent_strumpet
Summary: A kind of continuation of "Believe In Miracles," except this takes place...some time post-series. Around whenever it was that (WARNING: SPOILERS) the official art of Juri and Shiori post-series happens.EDIT: Attached the aforementioned image at the request of YuriNoShoujo. Image is from the gallery at Empty Movement. Used with permission.Warning: Includes shameless Juri x Shiori shipping. And possibly an OOC Juri since I've never really written any dialogue or POV from her. Sorry if that's the case ^^;





	Coming Clean

                                                            

The sun shines softly but brightly in the azure sky on Ohtori Academy that afternoon, dapples of it glinting and dancing across the surface of the pond outside. It's at the edge of it that Juri Arisugawa sits in comfortable silence, staring out ahead of her at the horizon. Her hand drifts up, almost reflexively by now, to the gold pendant on the chain around her neck, feeling the soft weight of it resting on the base of her sternum. It had once been so heavy with secrets, with pain, with sadness and longing, a picture of perfection inside that had never truly existed and never could, cutting deep into Juri's heart and weighing her down.

  
But this isn't the same. That had been shattered long ago.  
  
Juri had felt herself shattered too then, but later she would know the truth. The ball and chain around her had been broken to set her free.  
  
The one she wears now is bright and polished and new, offered with no picture inside but the one she would choose, the path of her own life laid open freely before her with no one blocking her way, but given also with a ray of hopefulness to start anew. A fresh start, a new beginning.  
  
Sometimes Juri can't even believe this. That she can finally breathe, finally live for herself, finally be free. There is nothing holding her back anymore -- no more duels, no more fighting, no more of End of the World or the Rose Bride, no more yearning for and seeking after what could never be had.  
  
Juri gazes up at the sky and sighs contently, feeling only the soft grass beneath her, the light breeze around her...  
  
"I thought I'd find you here."  
  
She looks up to see her girlfriend, who sits beside her on the grass and brushes a lock of her plum-hued hair out of her face.  
  
Juri smiles and intertwines her fingers with Shiori's.  
  
"Remember when we were little and I used to make daisy chains for you?" Shiori asks, smiling.  
  
Juri laughs. "I would walk around for the rest of the day with petals and leaves in my hair."  
  
"And my mother would yell at me for getting grass stains and dirt on my dress." Shiori giggles, although it sounds a bit shorter and emptier than Juri's laughter.  
  
Juri simply leans over to kiss her on the cheek.  
  
The soft waves of Shiori's hair blow lightly in the wind, a few strands shining a bit in the sun, her wide violet eyes staring out ahead. There's something in them...something wistful, pensive...melancholy...  
  
"What are you thinking of?" Juri asks.  
  
Shiori shrugs. "Just...things."  
  
They both know there's more to it than that.  
  
Shiori's smile fades and her gaze drops to their hands. "There's...something I have to tell you, actually."  
  
Juri unlaces her fingers from Shiori's and lays her hand on top of hers, as if to anchor herself there are much as Shiori. "What is it?"  
  
Shiori hesitates, then says, "I..." She looks at Juri's hand on top of hers, and thinks of when she first fell in love.  
  
_Long, curling hair like silken flames. Bright, piercing turquoise eyes. A tall, lean, limber figure. An imposing, commanding presence. Such strength, such fierceness, such beauty. This was Juri.  
  
Then there was Shiori. Small, mousy, plain, unremarkable Shiori._  
  
But Shiori won't think of that now. It doesn't matter what anyone back then thought. Because Juri loves her just as she is. And Shiori loves Juri just as she is. Shiori had grown up with her, looked up to her...and as she knew now, against all odds, Juri has always cared.  
  
"I've always looked up to you, Juri," she explains. "You're talented, you're strong, you're beautiful..." She sighs. "I was jealous back then. That was it. I wanted to bring you down, to hurt you, because I didn't know what else to do."  
  
Juri says nothing. Shiori can't tell if she's upset a little by this, or if she's just listening.  
  
"But..." Her voice trembles. "That just made me feel even more pathetic. It would satisfy me for a moment, but vanish so quickly. I thought you pitied me, I thought you were cruel, but it turns out you've always cared."  
  
She takes a deep breath. "When I dated Tsuchiya Ruka back then...it was because I saw how you looked at him. I wondered what it meant...I thought that maybe he was the one in your locket. And you...hadn't been talking to me, so I wanted to move on. He gave me that chance...  
  
"And...you were right about him..." Shiori's hand trembles beneath Juri's. "I thought you were jealous and just wanted to break us up, but I should have listened to you--"  
  
"No." Juri's voice is firm. "He shouldn't have done that to you."  
  
"I had a lot of time after that to think, and..." Shiori continues. "I don't know how to explain...but somehow, then, I just knew it. That I was the one in your heart. You carrying a picture in your locket, warning me about Tsuchiya-senpai, all of that... I realized it was because you loved me. Not out of pity, but out of your heart."  
  
Juri is silent for a beat, then says quietly, "That's right."  
  
"I loved you too."  
  
It's a high, reedy whisper from Shiori, barely audible but clearly spoken. Juri wonders at first if she even heard it right...but she's sure that she did.  
  
Her eyes dart to Shiori, the shock clear on her face.  
  
"I've always loved you." Shiori's thumb hooks around Juri's and squeezes. "I couldn't believe you could ever love someone like me...sometimes I felt like I hated you, for being so brilliant while I was so dull...but I always loved you. And I still do." She relaxes her grip and sighs. "I know this doesn't excuse anything I did. But it was the reason why. My love for you and my hate for myself." Her voice cracks.  
  
Juri is silent for a long moment that stretches on for what feels like eternity.  
  
"Shiori," she finally breathes. Shiori doesn't look up at her face, but Juri is clearly awed and overwhelmed. Shiori, meanwhile, is still trembling and feels tears in her eyes.  
  
The next thing she feels Juri's strong arms wrap tightly around her. She stills, in surprise, but then runs her hands up her best friend's back and holds onto her tightly, possessively, as if she would lose her forever if she released her. A few tears fall from her eyes onto Juri's shoulder, as she lets herself be ensconced in the safe, secure embrace she hadn't felt in so long. Their bodies fit so perfectly together, Juri's strong, sturdy figure against Shiori's delicate softness. Juri relaxes against Shiori, letting herself hold her longtime dearest friend, her only love, her eternity, in her arms, as Shiori's words echo over and over in her head. _I've always loved you. I've always loved you. I've always loved you._  
  
There's a moment of quiet after they let go, still loosely holding each other, then Shiori tilts Juri's chin up and their lips meet. Her other arm comes around Juri and pulls her in close while Juri's hands run up Shiori's back. They each melt into the kiss and each other, becoming lost in it, then Shiori's lips leave Juri's, trailing down her chin and her neck, down to her clavicle...  
  
_"Aaaaaa_ **aaahhhhh!** "  
  
The sound of abruptly rustling leaves, as if something had fallen into a heap of them, interrupts the two girls and they turn to the source of the sound.  
  
To see a little yellow-haired boy rise to his feet and brush off his uniform, having dropped a pair of opera glasses in his fall. He looks up, then jumps back in shock and embarrassment, blushing brightly and sweating.  
  
"A-Arisugawa-senpai! I-I'm sorry! Please, excuse me!" he stammers, bowing repeatedly. "I-I was looking for Nanami-senpai--"  
  
"Don't sweat it, kid," Juri says flatly. "I think she went to the library."  
  
"O-Okay, thank you!" the boy replies. "Again, I'm sorry!" He bows again, then takes off.  
  
Shiori's high, silvery laugh sounds from beside Juri. "Who was that?"  
  
"Some elementary school kid who stalks Nanami," Juri deadpans.  
  
Shiori laughs again and loops her arms around Juri's shoulders from behind. "That's kind of cute, in a way."  
  
Juri smirks. "Coming from the one who would sneak in and polish my sword--"  
  
"You can't prove that was me!" Shiori chides her playfully.  
  
Juri lays Shiori on the grass and smiles teasingly down at her. "I know it was you." They kiss again as the sun starts to set.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm rather proud of this ending XD
> 
> I tried to base Juri's interaction with Shiori, now that things are better between them, on how Juri is around Miki, since she seems more relaxed and social around him as someone she's genuinely friendly with. I can see Juri being more solemn and reserved around others, like she usually is, but more affectionate towards Shiori...especially since she looks so happy in that official art of them :D 
> 
> I also like the idea of, since in Episode 37 Juri is at a point where she can make jokes about her locket, Juri and Shiori joking about certain past events since it doesn't weigh as heavily on them.
> 
> Again, sorry if this is crap ^^;


End file.
